


Twiggy

by TheArtisticIntrovert



Category: inFAMOUS: Second Son
Genre: i just wanted to have aaron meet them but it turned into an au, reggie lives!au, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-11 15:27:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12938178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArtisticIntrovert/pseuds/TheArtisticIntrovert
Summary: “You weigh like, ten pounds. You’re not gonna break me, Twiggy.”--A fluff/found family fic.





	Twiggy

**Author's Note:**

> i just want my son to have friends ok i want him to be happy
> 
>  
> 
> **  
> _text like this is nate speaking._  
>  **  
> _Text like this is Tabitha speaking._

Aaron had never really known family. Sure, he had his dad, but they never felt like a family. It felt more like a stage play, like an act they were both putting on for the world. After juvie, he’d never felt safe enough in one place to let himself relax. It just got worse when the demons showed up.

 

And then there was whole mess with Conduits and the D.U.P. He knew it was a thing, that Conduits existed and about the whole mess in Empire City, but.....he never paid attention. He hadn’t been near there, and at that point his life had been so lost in a haze of surviving elementary school on his own that he couldn’t remember much about what had happened.

 

But now? Now, it was seven years later, and he was stuck in the middle of Seattle during a turf war. He’d been here for a week before the D.U.P. had moved in, wandering the streets and stealing food out of dumpsters. He wasn’t sure why they were there, but steered clear anyway, knowing he’d probably be pulled on suspicion of being a Bioterrorist. Then the 520 was demolished, and he was well and truly stuck. 

 

The demons were attracted to the fear and panic, feasting like never before on the emotions of the people. Aaron was forced to take to the rooftops, hoping to avoid the worst of it. It was here that he met Delsin.

 

He’d been sleeping behind a wall, basking in the rare sunlight, when suddenly he was woken up by Nate clamoring for his attention. There was the sound of boots on concrete and the rattling of a spray can, before the acrid stench of paint hit his nostrils. Despite himself, he sneezed. He held his breath, hoping whoever it was hadn’t heard.

 

No such luck. Before he could so much as stand, a punk-looking man in a red beanie peered around the wall. Aaron cursed under his breath, scrambling to his feet and biting back a yelp of pain when the movement jostled the bruises Nate hadn’t been able to heal. “Hey, woah woah woah! Where are you going?!” the man asked, stepping out fully. Aaron backed up, keeping his eyes locked on the chain wrapped around the man’s wrist. Logically, he knew he could take him. But he’d just woken up, and his brain hadn’t started working yet. “I’m not gonna hurt you, kid!” He stepped closer, causing Aaron to scramble back another step or five.

 

“Everyone does! Go away!” he rasped, voice cracking. “Who even  _ are  _ you?!” He went for defensive, figuring he could stall until he was able to fight. The man grinned, straightening up. Now that he was standing, Aaron realized he wasn’t actually tall at all. He just looked that way because he’d been on the ground.

 

“What, you haven’t heard of me? Name’s Delsin Rowe, the Conduit who’s been driving out the DUPs!” he said proudly. He said ‘D.U.P.’ like ‘dupe’, something Aaron found hilarious. He bit back a snort of laughter, a wave of dizziness washing over him. He stumbled slightly, jumping when unnaturally warm hands grabbed his shoulders. “Woah there, kid! Don’t fall off the edge!”

 

“I-I’m fine....Thanks for the save....” he said, squeezing his eyes shut and willing away the blackness.

 

**_i can’t heal starvation. you need to find food, and fast. otherwise, i’ll do it my way._ **

 

“I’ve already taken too much though, they’ve noticed me...” he mumbled. Delsin looked at him strangely, biting his lip. His spray paint can lay by the wall, forgotten. He shook his head and looked up at Delsin. “Sorry, just....thinking out loud. I’m Aaron.” He managed a weak smile, mind present enough to keep his lips shut. “By the way.....what’s a Conduit?”

 

\--

 

He wasn’t able to stay with Delsin, and he only barely managed to convince him not to take him to a homeless shelter. Instead, he met Delsin every day at around noon behind the police station, and Delsin gave him food. It was usually just a gas station hot dog and some water, but to Aaron, it was heaven.

 

He was waiting for Delsin when he met Reggie. He was talking to Nate and Tabitha when he was suddenly startled by the sound of a bag dropping on the ground and a gun clicking. “FREEZE! Hands up!” Aaron froze, shoulders tensing. He slowly raised his hands up, trembling like a leaf in the wind. “Stand up, slowly.”

 

He clambered to his feet, the motion made difficult by his still raised hands. “W-What—?” he croaked, before being silenced by boots on the gravel.

 

“Hands on your head.” Aaron swallowed nervously, obeying. Once his hands were behind his head, the person came closer. He started patting Aaron down, removing his backpack and the knife in his pocket. Once his things were taken, he started pinning Aaron’s hands behind his back.

 

“Woah, hey, Reg, stop!” Aaron had never been so happy to hear Delsin. He could’ve cried. “What the hell’re you doing?! I asked you to bring him a sandwich, not  _ arrest  _ him!” he snapped, dragging the cop (Reg?) away from Aaron. He stood there, arms cuffed behind him, shoulders shaking. He was seriously tempted to run away and break the cuffs once he was alone, but he wouldn’t be able to break more than the chain in the state he was in. So instead, he just stood there, near tears.

 

“He’s a murderer, Delsin!” Reg snapped angrily. Delsin scoffed, and Aaron turned enough to see he was rolling his eyes. “Eyes front!” Reg snapped. He squeaked, head snapping around to face away again.

 

_ Aaron, are you alright? _

 

**_need me to take over?_ **

 

“N-no....I’m fine...” he muttered under his breath, lying through his teeth. He was shaking and scared and kind of wanted to die, but at the same time he needed to hear this.

 

“Murderer? He’s just some homeless kid I found on the roof! And, in case you forgot,  _ Fetch  _ was a murderer too!” Delsin snapped. Aaron could smell smoke, and he instinctively glanced behind him again, before Tabitha snapped at him.

 

_ It’s not you, look forward again! Before the police officer yells at you again! _

 

**_it’s your painter buddy, kid. his arms are smoking._ **

 

“Fetch is different! She killed drug dealers _. And,  _ you took responsibility for her!  _ This _ kid killed  _ innocents,  _ Delsin!” Reg snapped. Delsin growled, and the smoke stench got stronger.

 

“Then I’ll take responsibility for Aaron too!” he snapped. Aaron winced, teeth clenched. Good job, Delsin. Tell the cop that wants to arrest him his name. Good plan. “He’s just a  _ kid, _ Reggie!”

 

It was silent for a long moment, and Aaron was seriously considering just making a break for it, when the tense quiet was broken by a loud growl from his stomach. He blushed heavily, glaring at his stomach. A few burning tears slipped out of his eyes, and his lips twisted. Of course.

 

“.......fine. Fine! Delsin, take him. But this is the  _ last one,  _ got it?” Reggie snapped, walking over to Aaron again. He released the cuffs, but Aaron didn’t move, too frightened of it being a trick. “You’re free to go,” Reggie prompted. Aaron lowered his arms slowly, peeking over his shoulder.

 

“.......Thank you.”

 

\--

 

Delsin took him to meet Fetch after he’d eaten. She was a Conduit like him, a Neon one. She was loud, and vulgar, and unafraid to speak her mind. It almost immediately relaxed him, more than kind words and soft voices ever could. This was familiar. He could handle loud.

 

“Yo D, who’s the twig?” she asked, voice coming from above. Aaron looked up, eyes widening when he noticed the pink-haired woman sitting on the edge of the Olaf’s sign.

 

“This is Aaron. I found him on a roof when I went up there to paint,” Delsin explained. Fetch nodded, looking thoughtful. She jumped down in front of them in a flash of light, neon pink afterimages lingering where she’d sat.

 

“Huh. He a Conduit?” she asked, inspecting him. Delsin shook his head.

 

“Nah. I’m not sure  _ what  _ he is, but he isn’t a Conduit. Not like us, at least.” Aaron bit his lip, raising a hand shyly.

 

“I’m a Channel, actually. I can talk to ghosts and channel their magic through my body,” he explained quietly. Fetch and Delsin blinked, both staring at him. He fidgeted slightly, ducking his head. “S-Sorry....”

 

“Ghosts are real? You can really talk to them?” Fetch asked, sounding oddly choked. He winced, nodding slightly. Delsin butted in, asking questions of his own.

 

“Magic? You sure you’re not a Conduit?” he asked. Aaron backed up, overwhelmed.

 

“Someone......explain, please? I don’t wanna.... I don’t understand....I dunno......” he muttered, eyes wide. His breathing sped up, vision going blurry.

 

_ Don’t worry, Aaron. I will handle this. _

 

“Thank you....” he whispered, closing his eyes. He fell back, curling up in his little corner of the mind. He didn’t want to deal with this. This is why he never told people about being a Channel. He just.....He’d thought they’d be different.

 

She opened her eyes, glaring at the two adults in front of her. Almost on instinct, she straightened her spine, folding her arms in front of her chest defensively. “Aaron? You okay?” Delsin asked. “You’re acting weird, little dude.”

 

“Ghosts are real. Magic is real. H- _ I’m  _ not a Conduit. Conduits are not the only supernatural thing in this world,” Tabitha said, voice clipped and tense. Delsin nodded, but Fetch frowned. Inwardly, Tabitha cursed. Seemed she was more perceptive than she’d thought.

 

“You don’t sound like Aaron,” she said suspiciously. Tabitha chewed her lip, trying to decide how much to tell them. She just wanted to run away, but.....she was tired of running. Besides, Delsin brought them food. He couldn’t be  _ that  _ bad, right?

 

“.......That’s because I’m not,” she said finally, dropping her ‘Aaron-voice’ for her normal one. “My name is Tabitha, and I’m a ghost bound to Aaron.” She waited in tense silence, awaiting their judgement.

 

Fetch studied her for a minute, raising an eyebrow. “......Aight. I’ll bite. Where ya from?”

 

\--

 

It took them another two weeks before they met Eugene, and even then it wasn’t much of a meeting. They had been running from a few of the weird Russian-sounding guys (Akurans?), when suddenly an angel swooped from the sky and blasted the gang with a stream of glitchy pixels. Of course, Tabitha and Nate immediately started freaking out. Aaron thought they were overreacting. If demons were real, why not angels? At this point, he wasn’t surprised anymore. But when the angel vanished, only to be replaced by a hooded teenager, they fell silent.

 

_ It.....wasn’t a real angel? _

 

“Apparently not. Hey, you!” Aaron said, raising his voice on the last sentence. The teen stiffened, running away. Aaron cursed, chasing after them. He followed them for a good four blocks, before losing them in the crowd. “Dammit.....”

 

\--

 

The next time he met Eugene, it was because he’d followed Delsin to the concrete tower in the middle of Puget Sound. Technically, he wasn’t supposed to come, but it’s not like they could stop him. He’d followed Reggie to where Fetch and Eugene were, climbing the giant concrete pillar while Augustine was distracted with Delsin and Hank. He only managed to rip away half the concrete before he heard Reggie yell. He looked down, eyes widening when he noticed Reggie hanging off the edge, feet encased in concrete.

 

Concrete that was rapidly spreading. Abandoning the bindings, he launched himself from the rock towards Augustine, tackling her to the ground and breaking her focus. “DELSIN!” he yelled, grappling with her and trying to keep her pinned. “Do your fancy tying thing, I’ll get Reggie!”

 

“Dude, no! He’s my brother, I’m gonna help him!” Delsin snapped. Aaron growled, grabbing a large piece of concrete and dropping it unceremoniously on Augustine’s legs. It wouldn’t kill her, but it’d keep her pinned for a bit. He ran over to the edge, grabbing Reggie’s other hand.

 

“I’m stronger than you! He has a better chance of living if you just  _ let me help!”  _ he snapped. Delsin looked like he was going to protest again, but finally just sighed and let Aaron work. He ran over to Fetch and Eugene, starting to free them from the concrete. Aaron pulled Reggie up, ignoring his yelled questioning about how the hell he was even able to  _ lift  _ him, let alone swing him up with enough force to make the concrete around his legs crumble.

 

They lay there on the ground, heaving for air. “Thanks.....” Reggie wheezed. Aaron, too tired to give a proper response, just gave him a weak thumbs up.

 

\--

 

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Delsin had sucked the powers out of Augustine the first chance he got. Pinned beneath the concrete, she couldn’t do much more than just glare at him. Aaron had a feeling this was supposed to go differently, but he didn’t much care. Reggie had called the police, directing them to the tower to arrest Augustine. Aaron and Fetch, on the other hand, had to make themselves scarce. 

 

Since he wasn’t a Conduit and couldn't get himself back to shore without taking Reggie’s boat, Fetch just told him to get on her back. When he tried to protest, she responded with “You weigh like, ten pounds. You’re not gonna break me, Twiggy.”

 

The sound of sirens is what cinched it. With Aaron secured on her back, Fetch took off across the water, heading for the large Olaf’s sign where they’d met. They got there in about five minutes, much sooner than they would’ve had they waited. “Thanks, Fetch....” he said, smiling slightly.

 

“No problem. You can pay me in answers. Just one answer!” she said, amending her statement upon seeing his panicked face. “Can I do your hair?”

 

He blinked, touching his long, thickly braided hair with one bandage-covered hand. “Um.....yeah, sure. I can’t guarantee how clean it is, but knock yourself out.” She grinned, dragging him deeper into the sign and pulling out a thin bottle.

 

“Lemme introduce ya to the wonders of dry shampoo, my twiggy friend.”


End file.
